Playing a Round of Golf is more enjoyable when you have warmed up and prepared yourself mentally and physically for the first tee. Arriving early will allow you the time to unwind, focus your thoughts and warm up your muscles for the day ahead.

You have come to the golf course to enjoy a round of golf. Make the most of it by eliminating the distractions that might interrupt an otherwise enjoyable day. Be considerate of your playing partners. Take care of outside issues or possible distractions before your round. You and your playing partners will appreciate it.

Develop a Physical Warm Up Routine

• Start with stretching exercises. Work the kinks out and stretch your muscles so that they are loose. This will allow you to be more fluent in your swing.
• There are many tools on the market today that will help you warm up your swing.
• If there is a driving range available at your course, take the time to hit a small bucket of balls. Hit several shots with different clubs.
• Practice your short game. Chipping is a big part of saving par. Taking time to get a feel for your short game will give you one up on your opponents and will shave a couple of strokes off your round.
• Spend some time on the practice green. Get a feel for the speed of the greens. Practice putting from different distances and different angles to the hole.

Prepare Your Mind for the Game

• Put Your Cell phone away. Turn it off and leave it in the car or locker, if possible.
• Take a few minutes to think your way around the course. If you have played the course before you should have a good idea of the layout, if not, review the card and visualize the first few holes.
• Preparing yourself mentally will relax you and will assist you in erasing the stresses of the day so you can focus on your game.

If you are going to invest the time and the money to play a round of golf, then you should take the time to prepare so you can enjoy it.  Most of us are not professionals and don’t get to play on a regular basis.  Keep this in mind when you are out on the course and know that Any Day on the Golf Course is better than the best day at work!

© 2009 – 2010, David Wakeman. All rights reserved. On republishing this post you must provide link to original post.

Keeping the game enjoyable and maintaining the quality of the course

The game of Golf is a game of honor and personal discipline. Golf is the only game where the individual will penalize themselves for violating a rule. There are also rules of behavior or etiquette that are designed to provide Golfers the opportunity to truly enjoy the game.

With the emergence of Tiger Woods, the game of golf has become much more popular. There are new people picking up a club and heading out to the golf course each and every day. Because of this, it is even more important to be aware of and to follow some basic rules of etiquette.

Etiquette should start the moment you arrive at the course and not end until you are headed for the ride home. Let’s outline some of the things to remember so your next round will be more enjoyable.

Safety First

• Preparing for Your Round – While warming up make sure that there is no one within your immediate area. When practicing, don’t swing in the direction of another player. There is the possibility of hitting some debris that could fly up and injure a playing partner.
• Taking Your Shot – Always wait until you are sure that the group ahead of you is no longer in your normal shot range.
• Quiet Please – Golf requires a great deal of concentration. Show your respect by remaining quiet while the other players in your group are taking their shots.
• Fore – When out on the course, if you or one of your playing partners hits an errant shot that may hit another player, yell “Fore” to warn them.
• Golf Carts – Observe the safety suggestions posted in golf carts and drive carefully. Golf etiquette recommends that you keep your cart off the grass as much as possible.
• Club Care – Never throw or slam your clubs into the ground. Even though we see the Pros do this on TV, it is never a good thing to do. It is not only disrespectful to the course and your group; it will cause damage to the course and possibly your clubs. If you hit a poor shot, it is not the club or the course that caused it.

Maintain a Good Pace

• Ready Golf – A round of golf can take several hours. Keep the game moving by being prepared to take your shot when it is your turn.
• Keep Up – Do your best to stay on pace with the group in front of you. Make sure that you don’t fall behind.
• Lost Ball – Don’t spend a great deal of time searching for a lost ball. When you tee off, if you think that you may not find your ball, play a provisional tee shot. Spend no more than 5 minutes searching for your ball.
• Cart Golf – When you and your riding partner’s shot are on different sides of the fairway, drive to the first location, get the club you need and the other player should drive to his/her ball. Play your shots and then meet up further down the hole.
• Around the Green – Once you have gotten to the Green, be sure to finish out, replace the flag and then exit the area as soon as you are done. Move on to the next tee and then take care of recording your scores.

Maintaining the Course

• On the Tee – When teeing off be sure to replace any divots or fill the divot holes with sand before heading off. Remove your tee from the ground and throw away if broken.
• In the Fairway – Be sure to retrieve the sod from your shot and replace in the divot hole. If playing in a sandy environment, fill the divot with the sand mixture that is carried on your cart.
• In the Bunker – When playing from the sand, be sure to rake the area disturbed, including your footsteps. Make sure to leave the sand trap as smooth as possible for the next player.
• On the Green – Repair any ball marks that have been created from your approach shot. If you see others that have not been repaired, take time to repair those as well.
• 90 Degree Rule – Maintain the integrity and beauty of the course by following this simple rule. Drive your cart on the cart path until you reach your ball, and then if you must drive across the fairway, drive straight across the fairway to your ball.

© 2009, David Wakeman. All rights reserved. On republishing this post you must provide link to original post.